Remembering 2017: Top 10 entertainment bits

Whether if its in the Philippines or in other parts of the world, the year 2017 has been a pivotal year in the world of entertainment. Win some, lose some, that's the life of showbizness as we know it and in this yearender, let's jot down the top ten bits that changed the very landscape of the entertainment industry in 2017.

1) Ang Larawan wins 2017 MMFF - This year's Metro Manila film festival wasn't as exciting as we hoped for but it gave cinemagoers a chance to see some breakthrough films that became part of this film fest. In this film fest, the internationally acclaimed Ang Larawan, which stars Paulo Avelino, Joanna Ampil and Rachel Alejandro, won the best picture award.

2) Two Miss Universes, one year - This is the first time the Miss Universe held twice in 2017. One in Philippines and the other in Las Vegas. In the first one of this year, France's Iris Mittenaire is the winner, and then in the second one, South Africa's Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters is the winner.

3) The first Tawag Ng Tanghalan winner -  Since last year, ABS-CBN's hit noontime show, IT'S SHOWTIME, revived the legendary talent search programme Tawag Ng Tanghalan as their segment everyone's tuning in everyday. At the grand finale held at Resorts World Manila, a grand champion has been named from the six finalists and Noven Belleza is the grand winner of the show's Tawag Ng Tanghalan segment.

4) Spongebob at Broadway - Nickelodoeon's popular cartoon, SpongeBob SquarePants, has spawned a Broadway musical which was penned by the famed Tina Landau and starred Ethan Slater as SpongeBob. It was a dream come true for everyone to see their favorite cartoon show spawned a stage play the whole family enjoyed from start to finish.

5) The first female Doctor Who - Following Chris Chibnall's takeover as the new showrunner of BBC's hit TV series Doctor Who, the star who will play as the 13th Doctor has been named and for the first time, an actress named Jodie Whittaker. The BBC announced the star who will be playing The Doctor in next year's season, under the new rule of incoming Executive Producer Chris Chibnall, as Jodie Whittaker. This will be the first time a woman will be taking over the role of The Doctor from the outgoing Peter Capaldi, whose tenure has ended at this year's Christmas Special which stars Adventures of Space and Time's David Bradley reprising his First Doctor role from the 2013 biopic into the world of Doctor Who.

6) Oscars flak - In the 2017 Academy Awards, where Moonlight was named the best picture, actress Meryl Streep draw flak against the Trump administration saying that without immigrants who are involved in flourishing Hollywood, it will be limited to just football and MMA. She didn't mentioned the US President but he responded via Twitter by calling her "overrated".

7) SHINee member committed suicide - Jonghyun, a member of a popular K-POP boyband SHINee, passed away this month due to depression. Police reported that he committed suicide. Days later, fans, friends, and relatives bid their final farewell to the late SHINee member.

8) Passing of big stars - There have been so many notable celebrity legends passed away this 2017 but the biggest names on the list of celebrity obituary of 2017 are former Batman Adam West and former Bond actor Roger Moore.

9) Spicy Hot Noodles Challenge - It all started when Samyang Foods sold a limited edition 2X SPICY HOT Chicken Flavor Ramen in supermarkets became a trending topic of this generation when people trying to post something on social media about trying to brave the hellish spiciness this variant possess. Even celebrities are unsafe from Samyang's fiery menace.

10) Love is... - October is what is known to be the best month for AlDub Nations. Two years ago, the world witnessed the phenomenal love team in the world's biggest indoor arena for the Sa Tamang Panahon concert. Then last year, the world witnessed the Kalyeserye wedding. Now, for 2017, the phenomenal love team has in store for them with an Eat Bulaga TV special titled Love Is... Love Is... centers on the story of a young woman named Vi (played by Maine Mendoza) who is ready to marry a man named Marco (played by Alden Richards). Before the planned wedding, Vi had a fortunate life until all her luck just ran out when her father is suffering from a life-threatening disease but even worse, she had fell from the scam. This special taught us a valuable lesson about depression while it fills the blank of what love really is. Still, with this special, it's the definitive point that AlDub is here to stay, no matter what happens to them.

That's it for the entertainment bits. Join me for more on this yearender before letting 2017 go in dignity.

VW T-Roc vs. SEAT Arona vs. Skoda Karoq

Let's admit it, ladies and gentlemen, the earth is now the planet of the SUVs because car companies love to make some money out of launching heavyweights no matter how big or small they are and when the more they keep launching SUVs, the more risk that the whole range will be out of the weight limit and resort of removing some in the lineup. In the Volkswagen Group, this is no exception to the rule as these three new compact SUVs continue to be part of this new automotive world order where SUVs are now part of the daily lifestyle.

2018 Volkswagen T-Roc

2018 Volkswagen T-Roc interior

Let's begin with Volkswagen's first-ever baby SUV, the T-Roc. Starting at just 20,390 Euros plus OTR costs, the T-Roc is Volkswagen's answer to bland baby crossovers such as the Nissan Juke and the Toyota C-HR and while it was basically pinned on the same bits and bobs from today's VW Polo, the T-Roc is no exception to the rule because while it may be an SUV, it's a crossover fit for every millennials' lifestyles. Of course, you might say that the exterior design is questionable because while the front looks very sporty indeed, the rearview looks like a Tetris piece, resulting in a questionable exterior no one saw it coming.

On the interior, it's not half bad especially when the dashboard is festooned with bits and bobs as experienced from the Audi like the instrumental panel which looks like it was heavily inspired from the Audi Virtual Cockpit, which makes it a Q2 on a budget and that's good for them. Apart from that, it's not bad to get cozy with and because it's not as leathery as a posh crossover, you don't get your full moon to experience the chilly torment in the event of cold temperatures and you'll have seconds to tuck your trousers back to its original condition. Not bad.

The T-Roc is offered with a choice of petrol and diesel engines with the most powerful being the 2.0 TSi variant mated to a 7-speed DSG that produces a modest 190PS of power and 320Nm of torque, propelling from 0-100kph in 7.2 seconds and onwards to 216kph. Your Nissan Juke or Toyota C-HR doesn't stand a chance with the T-Roc, you know, because they can only do 180, which is the limit to all Japanese cars and that's it. So, while the performance of the T-Roc really upsets the Japanese, the dynamics aren't half bad for a crossover because it handles pretty much like today's Polo without all the hot fuzz. Sure, it may not be as sporty as it hoped for, it's perky to keep it afloat on the road. Also, when equipped with 4MOTION, it's not pretty half bad in the wet. In fact, this could have been your sister's crossover rather than the ones I've mentioned. Lastly, the T-Roc is offered with a wide array of safety features that will give drivers a more confident driving experience without worry.

The T-Roc may have a questionable exterior design but with some good parts binned on this jacked-up Polo, it wasn't really mediocre by SUV standards. In fact, you could consider it your first ride if you got a job and a driver's license. However, if you find the T-Roc is not your kind of crossover, consider this...

2018 Seat Arona

2018 Seat Arona interior

At first glance, it may look like today's SEAT Ibiza but this is not the Ibiza because what this is is its jacked-up cousin, the SEAT Arona. Starting at 14,100 Euros plus OTR, you can really afford one rather than the VW T-Roc I've mentioned but unlike the T-Roc, the Arona is basically an Ibiza with some added ground clearance on it and from every angle, you will notice the bits and bobs you saw on the said car, meaning those who are familiar with it shouldn't worry about how to deal with the Arona's conveniences in the same way they compare the Mazda CX-3 to its Demio cousin.

The most powerful version is the 1.5 TSI EVO FR variant with 150PS of power output and 250Nm of torque, resulting to a 0-100kph time of 8 seconds and onwards to 205kph, which is basically slower than the T-Roc. Also, the Arona is available only in front-wheel drive so you have no right to make it dirty because it was only limited to city use, which is kind of a shame really because while some crossovers try to look tougher, the lack of 4WD are the ideal equivalent of the whole Weenie Hut joke I saw from a children's show.

This brings on to the last item on this article which is somewhat the lesser of two evils...

2018 Skoda Karoq

2018 Skoda Karoq

This is the all-new Skoda Karoq, the replacement to the Yeti which a certain ape calls it the best SUV in the world because you can outrun a Ferrari on an unfinished track, more room to get out, more stable than the Range Rover, and the aircon that works well in extremely hot conditions. This then is somewhat the different article and for 529 900 Kč or 24,290 Euros, it's the most expensive of the three. On the plus side, it's more affordable than the Skoda Octavia Scout, which sounds questionable but flattering.

While this is the most expensive of the three, the Karoq features the best of both worlds, something the T-Roc and the Arona quake in their rear bumpers. It's got Kodiaq-style looks not bad for a baby crossover, it's got luxurious interior, it's got ample boot, and more importantly, a wide array of safety tech and dynamics that set them apart.

However, what's annoying about the Karoq is the leather seats which stings your butt when the temperature drops to near zero. Also, the most powerful offering produces the same amount that you get from the Arona but it's heavier and in a three-way drag race, the Karoq loses. That sounds like a bitter disappointment but when you're not in the mood to bother the T-Roc and the Arona, you will be thankful that the Karoq nails all of the right moves a midsize crossover should be. It's comfortable, it's tough, it's spacious, and above all, it's everything you wanted it to be on an SUV of that size.

So, there we are, in terms of fair value, the Arona is the best bet but in terms of doing all the things you want for an SUV, the Karoq is the best bet. The T-Roc may not be as valuable or capable as these two but it's got more features than the other two and picking the winner sounds challenging as it should be but you'll be the judge of that when you try these three.

Photo: Volkswagen/ SEAT S.A./Skoda Auto

THE IDOLM@STER MILLION THE@TER GENERATION 03 Angel Stars

Enjoyed playing Theater Days? Better take a break because the third installment of the MILLION THE@TER GENERATION album range has arrived and this installment introduces us to Angel Stars.

THE IDOLM@STER
MILLION THE@TER GENERATION 03
Angel Stars

The Angel Stars are comprised of your favorite 765 MILLION STARS such as Miki Hoshii (CV: Akiko Hasegawa), Yayoi Takatsuki (CV: Mayako Nigo), Azusa Miura (CV: Chiaki Takahashi), Ami/Mami Futami (CV: Asami Shimoda), Tsubasa Ibuki (CV: Machico), Elena Shimabara (CV: Asuka Kakumoto), Serika Hakozaki (CV: Momo Asakura), Akane Nonohara (CV: Saki Ogasawara), Anna Mochizuki (CV: Shiina Natsukawa), Hinata Kinoshita (CV: Nao Tamura), Konomi Baba (CV: Minami Takahashi), Tamaki Ogami (CV: Eri Inagawa), Fuka Toyokawa (CV: Rie Suegara), Miya Miyao (CV: Choucho Kiritani), Karen Shinomiya (CV: Yui Kondou), Reika Kitakami (CV: Emi Hirayama), and Kaori Sakuramori (CV: Arisa Kori). In this album, they will perform the song that you will soon be able to play it on Theater Days, called Angelic Parade♪. This is a new song you will surely love it and if you're done, time to listen to the Angel Stars version of Theater Days' theme song, Brand New Theater!, and after that, there's a drama part where you will discover the other side of the Angel Stars troupe.

For a limited time, there's a special code that will give you a chance to be part of a special release event coming this January.

Enjoy listening to this latest addition to the range and be sure to keep playing THE IDOLM@STER Million Live Theater Days for more!

The Grand Tour S2: Unscripted

The Grand Tour wraps up 2017 with a sense of randomness as the gang tries to do an unscripted show while driving random vehicles on the streets of Croatia. Jeremy Clarkson drives the brand new Audi TT RS, Richard Hammond drives the Ariel Nomad, while James May drove a Lada Riva that he will turn it into a fire engine. How hard can it be to make an unscripted show?

The Grand Tour S2E04

Before that, Hammond tries out McLaren's newest supercar, the 720S, on the track, and when handed over to the driver with no name (seriously, who is she?), the 720S set a lap time of 1:17.9, similar to the car it replaces.

In Celebrity Face Off, Michael Ball and Alfie Boe faces off for who is the fastest classical singer with connections to the British motoring industry. In here, Michael Ball did it in 1:23.3 while Alfie Boe did it in 1:24.4.

Hyundai Grand Starex - 2018 minor change

The Hyundai Grand Starex has been around on the roads for ten years now and despite the rise of SUVs, this van still endures the test of time, although it's starting to feel outdated for a minivan that is popular not just in South Korea but in Third World countries even in the Philippines where it can be seen as decent alternative to expensive minivans like the Toyota Alphard. In response, the ten-year-old minivan has been reshaped with a fresh new look that will keep South Korea's enduring minivan freshen up for more.

2018 Hyundai Grand Starex

2018 Hyundai Grand Starex

The biggest change on this decade-old van is the face and by the looks of it, it looks more like a miniature version of its big brother, the Transit-sized Solati, judging from its headlamps and the new grille design that is beyond basic and apart from the front, the rear lamps have been refreshed. Apart from cosmetic changes, the Grand Starex is now available with the luxuriously new Urban variant and what separates the Urban to the normal Grand Starex is this...the interior.

2018 Hyundai Grand Starex interior

2018 Hyundai Grand Starex interior

2018 Hyundai Grand Starex interior

In the normal Grand Starex, you still have the plain-looking dashboard and a choice of 11 and 12 seats (with the swiveling part on it, thank goodness for that), but on the 9-seater Urban variant, not only you are welcomed with the brown interior color and wooden trim but also the new dashboard and the new steering wheel. It kind of now reminiscent of the Mercedes V-Class and while this van's posh enough to take the whole gang for an outing of a lifetime, the fourth-row seats can be folded to make room for stuff in the back, which sounds odd because the fourth-row seats kind of chewing away the boot space to almost nothing.

Even for men starting their own school service or use it as a taxi to send mallgoers home, they may find that the 11 or 12 seater layout a liability because of some parts that are too squishy even for a Balikbayan box-sized individual to get in. That sounds too shoddy to be used for that purpose but never mind. While the interior's not good to be used for school service or taxi purposes, its use as a family getaway vehicle is still the hallmark of the Grand Starex assurance.

The 2.5L CRDi engine is now Euro 6 compliant and can be mated with either a 5-speed MT or a 6-speed AT. In the top-spec version, it produces 175PS of power and 46kg-m of torque while promising a combined fuel economy of 9.4km/L. Opt one with a four-wheel drive layout and the Grand Starex will be capable of going any road conditions even on the wet condition, which sounds nice if you're brave enough to drive through the straights on a heavy rainfall.

As for safety, the new Grand Starex features a rear park assist, a quick-release alarm system, slope prevention device, and tire pressure monitoring system.

The base Grand Starex starts at 23,650,000 Won while the Urban starts at 27,000,000 Won, which doesn't sound like much but it is cheap for a minivan that is ten years old. It maybe old but with some slight changes around here, the Grand Starex continues to survive in a brave new world dominated by SUVs and because this is a common sight on South Korean roads, this van has been used for many purposes whereas Third World countries like the Philippines were strictly limited to family getaway purposes. Still, there's no argue that with such continuity, looks like the Grand Starex will hang in there for another lifetime or so until Hyundai calls it quits.

Photo: Hyundai Motor Company

Let's Do The News! (December 29, 2017)

- The Commission of Human Rights will initiate a probe on the mistaken identity shootout in Mandaluyong that killed two people.

- President Rodrigo Duterte has signed into law that declared December 8 a nationwide special non-working holiday. The new law declares December 8 as a special nonworking holiday in observance of the feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, "the Principal Patroness of the Philippines." Also, the President signed a new law prohibiting gift checks with expiry date.

- Palace officials denied reports that Facebook helped boosted "authoritatian" powers, such as President Rodrigo Duterte, to seats of global leadership. Social media giant Facebook is currently in hot waters in the United States after media reports reveal that the social networking site sent out teams to train politicians around the globe to use the platform as a campaign tool.

- Yesterday, an Islamic State suicide bomber struck a Shiite cultural center in Kabul, killing at least 41 people. The Philippine government condemns the recent attack on the Afghan capital.

- Arctic air will keep the Midwest, East and South shivering into the start of 2018, with temperatures approaching record-cold levels at times.

- The Alabama state certified Democrat Doug Jones' victory over Republican Roy Moore in this month's special Senate election. Moore adamantly resisting the results and on Wednesday, he had set off a new swirl of controversy by filing an election complaint alleging voter fraud may have occurred, calling for a delay in the certification of the results that declared Jones officially the winner and asking for "a new special election."

- Suzuki will display 12 customized cars at next month's Tokyo Auto Salon, including customized versions of recent models like the Swift Sport, the Spacia, and the XBEE.

- Geely will acquire 8.2% stake in AB Volvo, which is reportedly priced at around US$3.3 billion. The deal would make ZGH the largest shareholder at the Swedish truckmaker and the second biggest by voting rights.

- Level 5's Layton franchise spawned a TV anime series coming this Spring and it will star Kana Hanazawa as Katrielle Layton.

- Your first look at the movie adaptation of the Tokimeki Restaurant which will hit theaters this February 2018.


TTFN!!!

Forza Motorsport 7: Pur Sang Legend

Forza Motorsport 7 offered us the series' most oldest vehicle and us millennials felt very disappointed because as cars get more modern, the racing games gone backwards because they feature older cars rather than new because let's be honest, they've been poisoned against us by baby boomers. Anyway, poison aside, let's get to know the oldest car in the Forza franchise and this one is a legend worth noticing.



This is the legend in question, it's called the Bugatti Type 35 and it's part of the Doritos Car Pack. Forza fans who are demanding Turn 10 to put a Chiron in the game aren't very pleased by this move because this is not the Bugatti they've wanted for but for historians, it's quite an honor to get to know about the Pur Sang legend itself because no racing car in history has ever accumulated more wins than the legendary Bugatti Type 35.

The Bugatti Type 35 is one of the most successful racing machines orchestrated by founder and engineer Ettore Bugatti. From its maiden voyage at the 1926 Grand Prix, the Type 35 racked up an overall record of 1000 wins. It won the first ever Monaco Grand Prix, which is one of the biggest races in the world alongside the Indianapolis 500 and the 24 Heures du Mans in 1950.

The Type 35 C is powered by a Roots supercharger, as opposed to Ettore Bugatti's condemnation for force induction, and with a single Zenith carburettor, it produced almost 128HP of power. This machine has won the French Grand Prix at Saint-Gaudens in 1928 and at Pau in 1930. About 50 units were produced.



Being one of the machines forged in the grassroots of the grand prix, it's no wonder why the Type 35 is worthy of being a legend of its own right because of its impressive record no other racing machine in history could achieve such a feat and how could a car like this that achieved such herculean task remains a mystery for us. To be honest, I don't either but it's great to understand about the legendary racing machine that racked up a thousand wins and driving one gives me the impression of what is like to be with the legend. To do that, let's go to the Bugatti Circuit section of Le Mans to see if this car lives up to the legend.



At start, driving the legendary Type 35 might not be as simple as it looks because while the power output is not very intimidating to shred your fingers off, the steering is somewhere between a rock and a hard place and you need some predictable patterns to pull one off. Rock and hard place aside, despite its faults, the Type 35 is relatively superior to anyone who wishes to drive with the legend itself and if the more they drive it, the more they will enjoy it, making it plenty of reasons why this Tpe 35 became part of every petrolheads' bucket list.

Talking about here, let's imagine I have last two minutes driving this car here in Le Mans. This is where I'm to this challenge and all I have to do is finish it in less than two minutes because nothing's more fun than finishing the job in less than two minutes.



So, how did I do? Well, I did it in 1:58.285, and I got a second to leave.



So, thoughts on the Type 35? Sure, it maybe harsh to drive but all that rumble and all that racing pedigree is why they made it to every petrolheads' bucket list because this was the legend that accumulated the most wins of any racing car in history and that's why it's special to us all. So, what are you waiting for? Now is the ideal time to try out this Pur Sang legend by yourself in Forza Motorsport 7.